Synchronous electric alarm clock



A- B. POOLE SYNCHRONOUS ELECTRIC ALARM CLOCK April 19, 1949.

Filed June 2; 1945 2 SheetsSheet 1- 6 3 7 R 4 re 5 m B m m olm u! st- I" r 3% 0 W4 5 E 4 ARTHUR B. PooLE firwm April 19, 1949. A. B. POOLE 2,467,694

SYNCHRONOUS ELECTRIC ALARM CLOCK Filed June 2, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 8.

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Eu (111/ g 30 W /A/VA/TOE I\\\\\\\\\\ ARTBUR B. POOLE ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 19, 1949 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,467,694 SYNCHRONOUS ELECTRIC ALARM CLOCK Arthur B. Poole, Harwinton, Conn.

Application June 2, 1945, Serial No. 597,202

'7 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improvements in electric alarm clocks and relates more particularly to alarm clocks which are propelled by a synchronous electric motor and which have an alarm mechanism of a type wherein a makeand-break circuit is employed for controlling the alarm, in contradistinction to the type of electric alarm wherein the alternations of the current supply are utilized to govern the vibration-frequency of the alarm.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a superior synchronous electric alarm clock of the character referred to which will c1early sound an alarm and which has its electric alarm-mechanism so constructed and arranged as to be reliable in use and substantially free from the likelihood of accidental derangement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a superior electric alarm clock of the character referred to which will provide a clear audible signal and which may be rendered operative or inoperative in a simple, reliable and convenient manner.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a simple, reliable and effective synchronous electric alarm clock in which is embodied a make-and-break contact for controlling the energization of an electromagnet and so constructed and arranged that the relatively-high rate of flux-change in the said electromagnet will not deleteriously affect the clear sounding of an audible signal at a slower beat-frequency.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a synchronous electric alarm clock embodying the present invention and showing the alarmmechanism in its inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the longitudinal axis of the alarm-set shaft buton a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view similar to Fig. 1 but less comprehensive than the same and showing the alarm-control cam turned into position to release the alarm-mechanism; and

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 but showing the alarm-mechanism in its released position.

, The particular synchronous electric alarm clock chosen for illustration in the accompanying drawings for purposes of making clear a preferred form of the present invention, includes a synchronous electric motor In which may be of any approved type and which requires no detailed description herein other than to note that it is provided with a drive-shaft I I, which rotates synchronously, i. e., at a fixed ratio with respect to the frequency of the alternating current supplied to the said motor, all in a manner well understood in the art.

The drive-shaft I I above referred to has rigidly attached to it a drive-pinion I2 which meshes into and drives a gear-wheel I3. The said gearwheel I3 is rigidly mounted at the rear end of a shaft I4, which latter rigidly carries at its forward end a pinion I5. The pinion I5 in turn meshes into and drives a gear-wheel I6 rigidly mounted on the rear end of a shaft I'l. At its forward end, the shaft I! has rigidly mounted upon it a pinion I8 which meshes into and drives an hourwheel I9.

The hour-wheel I9 above referred to is rigidly mounted upon the inner end of an hour-sleeve 20 which rigidly carries at its outer end an hourhand 2|.

Extending through the hour-sleeve 28 with freedom for rotation therein, is a minute'sleeve 22 carrying at its forward end a minute-hand 23. At its rear or inner end the said minutesleeve projects beyond the hour-wheel I9 into position where it may be driven at one R. P. H. by any suitable gearing (not shown) in a manner well known in the art.

Extending through the minute-sleeve 22 in turn and with freedom for relative rotation therein, is a seconds-arbor 24 having its forward end projecting beyond the forward end of the minutesleeve 22 and carrying a seconds-pointer 25. The rear or inner end of the said seconds-arbor .84 extends beyond the inner end of the minute sleeve 22 into position to be driven at one B. P. M. by, any suitable gearing (not shown) in a manner well understood in the art.

The hour-wheel I9 above referred to meshes into and drives a pinion 26 which is mounted upon a shaft 21 and which, in turn, meshes into and drives an alarm-control wheel 28. The said wheel 28 is mounted with freedom for both rotation and axial movement upon an alarm-set shaft 29 adjacent the forward end of a sleeve 39 which, in turn, is mounted with freedom for both rotation and axial sliding movement upon the said alarm-set shaft 29. The said shaft 29 has rigidly mounted upon. its .forward end. an alarm-set pointer 35 and has rigidly mounted upon its rear end a knurled finger-button 32, by means of which the said shaft 29 may be turned, for purposes as will hereinafter appear.

Located forwardly of and rigidly secured to the alarm-control wheel 28 is a sleeve-like alanmcontrol cam 33 having a drop-01f notch 34 and rotating at one-twelfth R. P. H. (once in each twelve hours) in consonance with the hour-wheel, i9. Coactingwiththe forward edge ofthe sleeve-- like alarm-control cam 33, is an alarm-control finger 35 which is rigidly mounted upon the shaft:v 29 and is adapted to enter the drop-oh: notch 34 of the alarm-control cam 33; under conditionsas will hereinafter appear.

Adjacent its rear or inner end, the sleeve 30 is. formed with an annular flange36 therear face-- of which is adapted to engage with the forward: face of an insulating-plate 31. The saidinsulating-plate is formed with an aperture 38 through which freely extends a portion'of the sleeve 30;- as is clearly-shown in Figs; 2and 4. The said aperture 38 is of sufficient size to clear the adjacent portion of the'sleeve'3il.

Pressing forwardlyupon therear'end of'the" sleeve 30 is a helical spring'39 encirclingthe ad-;- jacent portion of" the. alarmset" shaft 29 and seated at its rear end'against a collar 40 *rigidly, mounted upon thealarm-set shaft2 ata point spaced rearwardly of the insulating plate 31':

The insulating-plate 31 issecured to'th'e lower end of a spring-like mounting-arm ti which" is secured atits upper end to'an insulating-plate 42. The said mounting-arm' l l 'is formed of spring" metal and carriesat a pointabove the'insulatinge plate 37, a movable contact 44' extending for= wardly from'the saidmounting-arm and adapted: toengage with'and disengage fr'om a normally stationary complemental contact 45arrangedcoaxially With'respect tothe contact 44 and'carried by 'a bracket 66. The spring-like arm M'is'so tensioned as to tend to engage the movable contact 44 with the normallystationary contact45.

Mounted adjacent the insulatingplate 131 is a plate-like armature 4'!" formedofsoft iron or: other suitable magnetic material and securedito the upper end of a spring-likemounting=arnr48. which latter has its'lower" end "in' turn' mounted? upon a stationary-bracket '49. Secured; to and. extending upwardly from the armature 41 is a' striker-arm 50' preferably formed," of resilient materialand" carrying at its upper end'a' striker head 5!; The said 'striker-head isadapted'toimpinge against the periphery"of'astationarybell 52' carried by a bell-bracket 53.

The armature 41 above referredto also has se cured to it a contact-actuating arzn 54'projecting; laterally therefrom into a position in-front f=. th'e-insulating-plate'31 for the purpose of moving the same rearwardl'y in a manner as'will'hereinaft'erappear. I

Mounted -to the rear ofzthearmature 47 is an: alarm-operating electrom-agnet- 55; havingaapolese piece 55 projecting into proximity totherear" face of the armature i3! for 'purposesof attracting the said armature under circumstances" as: will hereinafter:be -described: The spring-like; mounting-arm 48" is so tensioned as to'tend'tohold the rear faceof therarmature-MT in 81170 siti'on spaced forwardly' of the forward end of the pole-piece- 56 of the eleotromagnet 55'though the said mountingearrn is sufficiently fi'exibl'e to permit theisaid armature to be? pu1led1rearWard-ly= by. the said electromagneti to causethe striker headtlfito engage with' thezbelliiizz.

One terminal lead of the electromagnet 55 is connected by means of a wire 5? to the bracket 46 and hence also to the normally-stationary contact 45. The remaining terminal of the electromagnet 55 is connected by means of a wire 58 to a supply-wire 59. The supply-wire 59 is complemented by a second supply-wire 59 which latter is connected by means of a wire 5! to the mounting-arm 4 l :and hence also. to the movable contact 44. The supply-wire 58. is. connected by means of a Wire 62 to one terminal of the synchronous electric motor 15, while the remaining terminal of the said motor is connected by means of a wire-6'3 to the supply-wire (it.

From the. foregoing it will be seen that the contacts 44 and 45 and the electromagnet 55 are connected" in series with each other between the supply-wires 59 and 5! It will also be seen that the connection of the supply-wires 59 and 60 to a source of alternating current such, for instance, as'a' (SO-cycle llil-volt source will energize said synchronous/electric motor it. The circuit of the electromagnet'55ywill also be energized'provided only'thatthe contact is in engagement with the contact 45.

Opemtion For purposes of. description" let. it be assumed that thesupply-wires 5'9 and 6B are. connected to a suitable source of alternating currentsuch; for instanceasGO-cycl 110-volt alternating current; Let-it furtherr'be assumed that the alarm'-. control fingerof the alarm-setshaft 29 is engaged withitheed'ge' of the alarm-control cam 33' ofthe alarm-control wheel 28.

Under" these conditions the synchronous electric'm'otorfll'willbe energized and will drive the hour hand'ZI an'd'th'e minute-hand 23 and seconds-pointer25'totindicate the time. Also under" theconditionsjustireferred to, the unit comprising'the alarm' control wheel'28 and sleeve 38"will also-be held rearwardlyagainst the tension of the spring 39.. Thus the rear face of the flange 35' of the sleeve. 30' will be engaged with the forward face'of:the insulating-plate 37 thus forcing:

the "same rearwardly by. v rearwardly flexing the. mounting=arm4i to" maintain the movable contact'Moutofengagement with the stationary contact as'is especially well shown in Fig. 2.

Undertl'reconditions above described .the contact '44*wi'llibe1out'of engagement with the contact 45*so that the alarm-operating" electromag net "will"'not Ice-energized andhence the alarm. mechanism will be inoperative.

Now-as th'e-hourewheel I B'turns as time goes on, it turn the alarm-control wheel 28 and thus at a predetermined time bring the drop-oh?" notch 34 'of the sleeve-like alarm-control cam 33 into registry with the alarm-control finger 35 on the alarm-setshaftflfl. The alarm-set stafi. 29 will? meanwhile; be 'heldagainst rotation With'the wheel: 26 byany'suitable' friction-means (not; shown) as is-rcommonjin. the" art I of "alarm" clocks:

As. soon as: the dropsoffi' notch. 34 is brought" intoregistry with-the alarm cont'ol finger 35' as; above described, th'eispring'SS" will assertiitselt" and force the unit comprising-"thes1eeVe'30Iand alarm control wheel z'8fforwardly to thus simi-- IarIy -shift ther-fl'ange'ifi' ofthe said sleeve: A's the said fi'angerc36 moves: forwardly as described; thecunit: comprisingjth'e 'insulating= plate 31', the-' mounting-arm 41 andcontact 44 'will swing'forwardlyunti-lthe said' 'contact14'is brought into; engagement with its. complemental contact 45..

. A-ssoon as the said-contact engageswith the contact 45, the circuit through the alarm-operating electromagnet 55 will be closed with the result that the said electromagnet will draw the armature 41 rearwardly. The rearward movement of the armature 41 will cause the strikerhead 5! to engage with the bell 52 and at the same time will cause the outer end of the contact-actuating arm 54 to force the insulatingplate 31 rearwardly to thus move the contact 44 out of engagement with its complemental contact 45 to thereby break the circuit through the electromagnet 55. As soon as the electromagnet 55 is deprived of energy as just described, it will permit the flexible mounting-arm 48 to swing the armature 41 forwardly together with the parts carried by the said armature and thus permit the tension of the mounting-arm 4| to re-engage the contact 44 with the contact 45 to again repeat the cycle just described.

When it is desired to manually shut off the alarm, an alarm-shutoff latch 64 may be swung over from the position in which it is shown by full lines in Fig. 1 into engagement with the insulating-plate 31 as indicated by broken lines. The swinging of the latch 64, as described, will force the insulating-plate 31 rearwardly and hold the same in such position wherein the movable contact 44 is held out of engagement with the contact 45.

The contact-actuating arm 54 by reason of its one-way engagement with the insulating-plate 31 provides a contact-actuating means which serves to move the contact 44 out of engagement with the contact 45 when the armature 41 is attracted by the electromagnet 55 but which permits the said armature to move away from the electromagnet without the said arm 54 itself acting to move the contact 44 forwardly. The operative connection provided by the arm 54 may thus be viewed as a "one-way or lost-motion connection.

By the character of the connection between the armature 41 and the contact 44, it is feasible to permit the contact 44 to remain in engagement with the contact 45 until the armature 41 has almost completed its movement toward'the electromagnet 55 to thus insure that the clear and distinct as well as relatively powerful alarm will be sounded despite the employment of alternating current for the energization of the electromagnet 55. In some instances it may be desirable to omit the bell 52 as well as the striker-arm 50 and striker-head 5| and rely upon the sound which may be produced by having the armature 41 itself engage with the pole-piece 55 of the electromagnet 55.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. An electric alarm clock, including in combination: a synchronous electric motor; time-indicating means driven by the said synchronous electric motor; a first-contact; a second-contact engageable with and disengageable from the said first-contact; spring-means urging the said second-contact into engagement with the said firstcontaot; an alarm-operating electromagnet; a circuit electrically connecting the said electromagnet, the said first-contact and the said second-contact in series; an armature operatively associated with the said electromagnet in position to be attracted thereby; contact-actuating means operatively interposed between the said armature and the said second-contact and constructed and arranged to move the said secondcontact out of engagement with the said firstcontact when the said armature is attracted by the said electromagnet and to permit the said armature to move away from the said electromagnet without the said means itself moving the said second-contact into engagement with the said first-contact; and alarm-control means associated with the said contact-members and driven by the said synchronous electric motor and constructed and arranged to control the flow of current between the said contact-members and hence through the said alarm-operating electromagnet.

2. An electric alarm clock as set forth in claim 1 and in which the contact-actuating means specified, includes a resilient member carried by the said armature.

3. An electric alarm clock, including in combination: a synchronous electric motor; time-indicatin means driven by the said synchronous electric motor; a first-contact; a second-contact engageable with and disengageable from the said first-contact; spring-means urging the said second-contact into engagement with the said firstcontact; an alarm-operating electromagnet; a circuit electrically connecting the said electromagnet, the said first-contact and the said second-contact in series; an armature operatively associated with the said electromagnet in position to be attracted thereby; contact-actuating means operatively interposed between the said armature and the said second-contact and constructed and arranged to move the said second-contact out of engagement with the said first-contact when the said armature is attracted by the said electroma net and to permit the said armature to move away from the said electromagnet without the said means itself moving the said second-contact into engagement with the said first-contact; and alarm-control means driven by the said synchronous electric motor and including cam-means constructed and arranged to also move the said second-contact out of engagement with the said first-contact, and spring-means yieldingly opposing the said action of the said cam-means.

4. An electric alarm clock, including in combination: a synchronous electric motor; time-indicating means driven by the said synchronous electric motor; a first-contact; movable contact-carrying means having an abutment; a second-contact carried by the said contact-carrying means and engageable with and disen ageable from the said first-contact; spring-means urging the said contact-carrying means in a direction to cause the said second-contact to engage with the said first-contact; an alarm-operating electromagnet; a circuit electrically connecting the said electromagnet, the said first-contact and the said second-contact in series; an armature operatively associated with the said electromagnet in position to be attracted thereby; a contact-actuating abutment carried by the said armature and engageable with the abutment of the said contactcarrying means to move the said second-contact out of engagement with the said first-contact when the said armature is attracted by the said electromagnet, the said contact-actuating abutment being movable away from the abutment of menace means associatediwith the said' contact-members and driven: by: the said-synchronous electric rnotor and constructed and arranged to control the flow-of current between the saidcontact-membersand hence through the saidalarmaoperating :elec troma'gnet.

5'; An electric alarm clock as set: forth'inclaim- 4" and" in which is included aresilient-member; and in -which the:=contact actuating abutment'is: carried by the saidresilienti-member which itself is carried by the*said armature:

6; An electric alarm clock; including: in com-- bination: a synchronous electric motor; time"-in'- dicatin means driven by: the said synchronous electriemotor; afirst contact; a movable con tact-carrying means having an abutment; a sec-' end-contact" carriedby' the said contact-carrying meansand engageable with and disengageable from'zthe 'said first-contact; spring-means urgingthe said contact-carrying means in: a direction to cause the said secondconta'ct to engage with the said first' contact; 4 an alarm operating' e1ectromagnet;-a circuit' electrically connecting the said'electromagnet; thesaid first-contact and the s'aidseconcl' contact inxseries; an armatureoperatively associated; with 1 the said electromagnet in position to be attractedthereby; a contact-actuatingi.abutment-carriedbyxthe said armature and engageable with the-abutment ofthe' said con-- tact-carrying rneans to move the said secondcontact' out of engagement With the said firstcontact When the" said' armature is attracted by the said electromagnet, thesaid contact-actuating ahutment being movableaway from the abutmentitof the said contact-carrying means to per-- mit the said armature tomove-away' from the saideiectromagnet independentlyof the movement of thersaid contact carrying means; and alarm-controlmeans driven by the said asynchronous electrio: motor and 5 including cam-means construct ed and arrangedtto'move the said conta-ct-carry inga means in? a" direction to disengage thesaid second contact from the said first-contact; and spring-means yieldingly opposin the said action' of the: said lcam-means.

'7. An electricalarm clock; including in combination: a synchronous aelectric:.-motor.; time-in? dicating means driven by the saidvsynchronouss' electric motor; an alarmeset'shaft; a camemem-t her rigid with the said alarm-set-shaft; a cam.--. unit coasting with the saidzcam-member and r0;- tatin around the said alarm-set shaft, the saidcam-unit being axially movable With respect to: the'said shaft by itszcoaction with thesaid cam-+- member, the said cam-unit also beingoperatively? connected to the said synchronous-electric motor. to be rotated thereby; 'afirst-contact; a secondcontact engageable with and disengageable from? the said i first-contact; movable contact carrying?v means having an abutment and carrying'the'saidf second-contact; the saidlconta'ct-carrying means, having a portion movable by the said rotary cam unit in a direction'to-movethe said'second-conz-ltact out of engagement with the said first-con tact; spring-means urgin the said contact-scar:- rying means inadirection to'cause the said sec- 0ncl'-c0ntact'to engage with the said first-contact;: an alarm-operating electromagnet; a' circuit electrically connecting the said electromagnet; the 7 said first-contact and the said second'I-con'-.=- tact in series; an armature operativelyassociated with the said electromagnet in position tobe' attracted thereby; at contact-actuating abutment carried :by the said armature andenga-geable with the abutment of the said contact-carrying meansto move the-said secondecontactout" of engagement with the said first contactwhen thesaid armature is attracted by: the said electromagnet; the said contact actuating abutment being mow-- ableaway from the abutment of the said contactcarrying means to permit'the said armature't'o' move away from the said electromagnet inde-- pendently of the movement of the saidcontact carrying means and of the said rotary cam-unit;

ARTHUR B. POOLE;

REFERENCES I CITED The following references are ofrecordinithej' file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 734,366 Rempe July 21, 1903'.

1,934,387 Tweedale .Nov. 7, 1933} 2,002,421 Tisseyre et al May 21, 1935 

